Blue Diamond 75 Coal Mine

Blue Diamond #75 is an underground coal mine in Perry County, KY, owned by James River Coal Company.

State spent one million for land swap for Blue Diamond
In Feb. 2011, it was reported that the Kentucky State Transportation Cabinet spent more than $1 million from 2006 to 2008 to close and move a 2-mile section of Route 699 at the request of a coal company, Blue Diamond Coal. Investigators with the KY cabinet's inspector general found that Blue Diamond Coal approached cabinet official Jason Blackburn about the deal in 2004. The company wanted a land swap that would allow it to mine the area where the road was located. Blackburn's office presented the idea to then-transportation secretary Bill Nighbert, who approved it. According to the inspector's report, cabinet officials were not authorized to execute the land swap.

Mine Data

 * MSHA ID:	1517478
 * Operator:	Blue Diamond Coal Company
 * Controller:	James River Coal Company
 * Union:
 * County:	Perry
 * State:	KY
 * Latitude:	37.08
 * Longitude:	-83.14
 * 2007 Production (short tons):	575,275
 * Coal Type:	Bituminous
 * Mining Method:	Underground
 * Mine Status:	Active
 * Average No. of Employees:	 89

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